Former GAA star convicted for threatening to kill Dundalk taxi driver

"I thought I was going to die. The man in the back kept saying he was going to rape me."

Reporter:

Tia Clarke

26 Apr 2018

Email:

tia.clarke@dundalkdemocrat.ie

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The Dundalk taxi driver said he feared for his life

A Dundalk taxi driver was left fearing for his life after a former All-Ireland winning minor footballer threatened to slice his throat and rape him in a taxi in November 2016.

26-year-old Robert Tasker was found guilty of kidnapping, robbing and threatening to kill the man who works for Sevens taxi firm in Dundalk.

The Irish News reported that Tasker's co-accused Antoin McCooey (25) was also found guilty on the same charges in Newry Crown Court yesterday.

The court heard that the taxi driver picked up the two men, who have separate addresses at St Patrick's Park, Cullyhanna, from Chopsticks Chinese restaurant on Park Street, Dundalk just after midnight on November 29 2016.

A report in The Irish News revealed that the taxi driver told the court he was "absolutely terrified" when Robert Tasker held a Stanley knife to his throat during the 25-minute drive from Dundalk to Cullyhanna.

The taxi driver also told how the other passenger, McCooey, had tried to stab him with a flat head screwdriver and that they had robbed him of €120 in takings.

The Dundalk man told the court: "I thought I was going to die. The man in the back kept saying he was going to rape me... he kept saying this all the time, the whole way nearly to Cullyhanna."

The man also told how Tasker held a Stanley knife to his throat and said 'Don't move or I'll slice your throat and I'll kill you'.

He continued: "...I've never felt fear like it in all my life. I kept thinking of my kids, it was close to Christmas and I thought they weren't going to have their Daddy for Christmas."

Robert Tasker was part of the Armagh team who won the All-Ireland minor football title in 2009. However, he was said to have not lived up to his promise and only played a few games for the Armagh senior team.

Both Tasker and McCooey have been remanded in custody and will be sentenced on June 18.

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